Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru rouge 2018

A Grand Cru that brings together power and precision: opulent on entry, supple in texture, multi-layered through to the finish. The 2018 shows the house style of Chandon de Briailles with silky tannins, floral notes and mineral depth without oak dominance.

The Grand Cru vineyard Les Bressandes sits exactly in the middle of the Corton hill, below Clos du Roi and Les Renardes. The domaine's 1.12 hectares are spread across four parcels. The soil consists of Bajocian and Oxfordian limestone with pebbles, clay and a high iron content.

Pure varietal Pinot Noir from vines averaging 35 years old. 40 to 50% whole clusters, spontaneously fermented in wooden vats, then transferred by gravity into barriques and tonneaux with a low proportion of new oak. Around 14 months of aging without further movement, bottled with minimal sulfur, mostly straight from the barrel.

The nose offers a concentrated blend of blackberry, plum, dark raspberry and honeysuckle, along with peony, juicy blood orange, smoke and bacon, moss, undergrowth, dry earth, limestone and a touch of salt. The palate delivers a concentrated core of dark ripe fruit, spiced with limestone and wood, with meaty, smoky aromas, plenty of undergrowth, prominent fine-grained tannin and vibrant acidity. The wine fills the palate while remaining precise, structured and full of mineral vitality.

With marinated and caramelized rack of lamb, with cured duck breast with ratatouille, chorizo and veal jus or with baked quinoa with zucchini, eggplant, onions and Comté.

The domaine in Savigny-lès-Beaune is run by siblings François and Claude de Nicolay, family-owned since 1834. Nearly 14 hectares are worked entirely with horses, and the estate has held Demeter certification since 2011. Claude de Nicolay has been vinifying without fining or filtration since 1988; the 12th-century cellar was built by monks of the Abbey of Cîteaux.